


A Mother's Love

by ZoeSong



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Canon - Book & Movie Combination, Ficlet, Friendship, Future of Wizarding World, Gen, Justice, Maternal Instinct, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Reconciliation, Redemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-27 04:37:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20040037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoeSong/pseuds/ZoeSong
Summary: After the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry has words with the Malfoy family.





	A Mother's Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ShanaStoryteller](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShanaStoryteller/gifts).

> This has been in the works ever since I finished reading the last Harry Potter book shortly after it came out. I was inspired to polish it by this [this](http://i-love-too-much-stuff-to-say.tumblr.com/post/178132015626/draco-deserved-a-redemption-arc) post on tumblr, via ShanaStoryTeller. It’s not exactly what the poster wanted, but it may hint at it a bit. 
> 
> Posting in honor of Harry Potter's birthday, just a day early.

~~

[](https://imgur.com/Rf8a9lG)

~~

The battle was over. Harry was walking through the Great Hall taking in the devastation, the mourning, the little celebrations of survival, and he noticed the Malfoy family huddling together on a bench looking worried. He recalled what Narcissa had done for him, and decided to go over and thank her for not betraying him. 

As he approached them, Mr. Malfoy looked up, his eyes wary. “Have you come to turn us out?”

“Lucius – of course he hasn’t.” Narcissa Malfoy put her hand on her husband’s arm in remonstrance, her eyes hopeful and warm as she gazed at Harry. “I hope you have come to be thanked.”

“You’re thanking me? For what?”

“Aside from defeating Voldemort?” Her eyes shone with gratitude. “Draco has told me what you did – going through fiendfyre to save him. It was so brave and selfless.”

Harry glanced at Draco, who looked a little sheepish, and shook his head. “No one should have to die in fiendfyre.”

“We can never thank you enough.” Narcissa was nearly in tears. “Please, Harry, will they send us to Azkaban?”

Harry was startled. “You’re asking _me_? I don’t know – I’m not in charge.”

“But you defeated him. You killed Voldemort. They’ll listen to you.”

Harry just stared at her. “Perhaps.” He glanced at Lucius, considering. “I don’t know about you, Mr. Malfoy. You were a true Death Eater – you were there when Cedric was killed, and Hermione and Mr. Ollivander were tortured at your home. But you didn’t participate in the fighting today. That should count for something.”

“What about Draco? They think that he killed Albus Dumbledore.” Narcissa’s voice was pleading. 

“You heard what I told Voldemort about that, didn’t you?” He paused as Narcissa and the others nodded. “Well then, so did everyone in the hall. The Ministry will learn the truth.”

“But how did you know…about Severus?” Narcissa’s voice was almost a whisper.

“I was there the night it happened.” 

“I didn’t see you,” said Draco, surprised.

Harry turned to Draco. “You wouldn’t have. Professor Dumbledore stunned me to keep me from interfering, and hid me under my own invisibility cloak to protect me. Then he allowed himself to be killed by Professor Snape.”

“But why – why would he do that?” Draco persisted.

“Because he was dying anyway and Snape knew it. He asked Snape to do it because didn’t want you to become a killer. And you’re not a killer. You couldn’t – or wouldn’t – kill Professor Dumbledore.”

Draco shook his head and looked ashamed.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Harry spoke with vehemence. “You couldn’t kill a good man. That was the right choice.”

Draco did not look completely convinced, but sat up a little straighter. His mother nodded her agreement with Harry.

Harry considered them all. “Look, you should turn yourselves in, throw yourselves on the mercy of the Ministry. Offer to help them find any Death Eaters who have escaped. And I’ll tell them what _you_ did,” he said, addressing Narcissa. 

“Oh, thank you, thank you.” She took Harry’s hands in hers and squeezed them tightly. Then, looking a bit embarrassed, she let them go apologetically. She put her arms around Draco instead, as if remembering why she had done what she did.

Draco squirmed uncomfortably. “What did you do, Mum?”

Narcissa looked nervously at her husband, who had sat there in silence.

Harry fixed his eyes on Draco. “It seems that you and I have something in common after all, Malfoy.” He watched for a moment as Draco’s eyebrows rose. “We have both benefitted from the power of a mother’s love.”

Draco stared at him for a moment, then turned to his mother quizzically. She shook her head and murmured, “Later.”

Harry was moved to say more. “It’s going to be hard, healing from all of this. But if they do listen to me, then it will be to work towards reconciliation. I don’t want this to happen yet again. If this has proven anything, it’s that so-called _purebloods_ are not stronger or better than anyone else.”

Draco looked down. Lucius’ eyes narrowed, but Narcissa nodded her head in accord.

Harry continued, “There will a time when your house can rise again. When that time comes, you can make a difference – you can show that it’s possible to change your mind, possible to make different choices.”

Harry glanced at Lucius. “Your time is done, but your son has a chance if you let him.”

Narcissa cried, “Oh, yes, we shall let him.” She clung to Draco and looked up at Harry with relief in her eyes. And Harry knew that she meant it. 

And despite the great losses of the day, he began to have a spark of hope for the future.

~~

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! This is my first ever HP fanfic. I’d love feedback!


End file.
